Resilient shoe sole



April 30, 1963 1 E. RUSSELL RESILIENT SHOE soLE Filed April 24, 1961 L L ME mx U WR mi N E e w A /4 T roR/VEY United States Patent O a corporation of Caiifornia Filed Apr. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 105,156 3 Claims. (Cl. S16- 28) The present invention relates to improvements in shoe soles and particularly of the type which is cellular or corrugated.

I have found that the average shoe sole formed of rubber composition and provided with wearing surface corrugations affords resilience for a short time only and then the sole becomes hard and the resilient qualities are lost. The so-called corrugated or cellular sole supposedly moves the foot forwardly each time the weight is distributed from the heel to the `toe as in walking. However, as stated, I have found that this effect is temporary only and -is usually lost after one has used the shoes for a short time.

-An object of my invention is to overcome the diiiculties previously set forth and to gain a forward propelling action when walking by the slant of the cells or corrugations in the shoe sole and to maintain said cells or corrugations against collapse.

Another object is the provision of a resilient sole having slant cells wherein the ground gripping surface of the sole is constructed and arranged to provide for uniform wear and at the same time prevent the accumulation of dirt, mud and gravel within the cells.

Another object is to provide a resilient sole of the cellular type wherein there is better weight distribution and where the sole will not mark iloors when walked u on.

pA further object is to provide a resilient sole for shoes so constructed and arranged as to be easily attached to the shoe upper.

A further object is the provision of a shoe sole of the resilient type which provides a uniform walking surface for the foot.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary partially sectional side elevation of a shoe incorporating the resilient sole of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 2--2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE S is a sectional view of a modified form of resilient shoe sole incorporating the invention; and,

FIGURE 6` is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawing and specifically to FIG- URES l to 4 inclusvie, I have shown in FIGURE l a shoe which includes the usual upper 1 and sole 2. The sole 2 has an outsole portion 3` and an insole portion 4. The upper 1 is secured to the insole portion in any suitable manner as generally practiced in the industry.

That portion of the sole 2 intermediate the insole and outsole portions I term the platform 5, and the platform is provided from the heel portion to the toe portion of the shoe with what I term slant cells 6. The `slant cells extend from the insole portion inwardly of the platform and terminate above the outsole portion without penetrating the outsole portion. These cells, soi-called, extend transversely of the sole as shown in FIGURE 2, and the cells may be substantially parallel and spaced apart equal or varying distances. This spacing is accomplished by providing partitions or ribs 7 which extend transversely of lCe the sole and merge with a marginal ange 8 which surrounds the sole and conforms to the general outline of the `sole. I may or may not provide, in addition to the ribs and flange, a longitudinal rib 9 extending from the heel to the toe of the sole and which cuts the ribs 7, as shown in FIGURE 2. The marginal -ange 8 and the longitudinal rib 9 strengthens the sole against distortion. The cells 6 are slanted at an acute angle to the surface of the insole portion 4 and the slant is forwardly in the direction of the -toe of the sole. The surfaces of contiguous ribs form the walls or boundaries for the cells and the cells may be of any Width with the ribs correspondingly enlarged or reduced in transverse thickness. As shown in FIGURES l and 3, the bottom boundaries 10 of the cells substantially lie on the same piane and are substantially equally spaced above the outsole portion. Thus the width and depth of the cells may vary from heel to toe, with the outsole portion 3 substantially iiat. Any contour of the sole occurs on the insole portion. This gives the outsole portion a iiat wearing surface free from all corrugations or cells. II have found, in actual practice, that the transverse ribs in resilient soles tend to collapse and do not always return to the position shown in FIGURE 3 resultant upon continuous wear of the shoe. The advantage of the cellular type sole lies in the gain in forward propelling action from heel to toe due to the slant of the cells. To overcome the tendency of the ribs to collapse and thereby collapse the cells, I fill the voids or cells between the ribs with a resilient material such as crepe rubber or a cellular rubber or rubber composition, or a cellular plastic which has a less density than the density of the sole material. The sole material is a resilient hard rubber or rubber composition or `similar material having a density which is greater than the ller for the cells. The iiller is indicated at 11 and completely fills the cells to the insole portion. The purpose of the iiller 11 is to prevent the complete collapse of the cells 6. This allows the ribs adjoining the cells to be restored to normal position while walking and particularly when the heel strikes the ground and the weight of the body is carried from the heel to the toe. I have found that a sole constructed in accordance with that shown in FIGURES l to 4 will function in accordance with the objects of the invention over a long period of time. Furthermore, by having the cells open toward the insole, the sole 2 so far as outward appearance is concerned, will look like the sole of any ordinary shoe and will not detract from the appearance of a shoe. Such a sole, however, gains all the advantages of a forwardly propelling action.

That form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 follows the same principles as outlined for the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive with the exception that the cells open at the outsole portion of the sole. With this form of construction the sole is designated as 15, the outsole portion '16 and the insole portion as 17 with the platform lying between the out and inner soles as 18. As before, a plurality of ribs designated generally as 19 are provided transversely of the sole and in spaced apart relationship the contiguous faces of adjoining ribs forming slant cells 20. The cells are slant-ed forwardly from the outsole portion 16 toward the insole portion but the cells terminate inwardly from the insole portion, as shown in FIGURE 5. The outer portion of the ribs at the outsole portion all lie in the same plane so that the outsole portion is substantially at. Each cell 20 is filled with a material 21 so as to prevent complete collapse of the ribs and cells when weight is imposed on the sole. As before, the sole is formed of any suitable material such as a hard resilient rubber or rubber composition or a material having like characteristics and `the cells are filled with a filler material which is resilient but of lesser density than the density of the sole. If the other material.

density of the iller material in the cells and the density of the sole material was the same, there would not be any flexibility in the soles so kfar as the cell construction is concerned. Consequently, it is essential that the density of the cell material 21 should be much less than that of the sole proper so that the ribs bounding the cells may be moved to gain the forward propelling action. The ribs, particularly the sides, are at an acute angle to the outsole portion.

By providing a sole of the type shown in FIGURE 5,

' dirt will not accumulate in the cells resultant upon use.

This is particularly noted when the wearer of the shoe having this particular sole encounters mud, gravel and The outsole portion is ilat and smooth and hence such a construction aids in a uniform wearing of the sole. Furthermore, no marks are made by this typeof sole on a floor. This type of sole, when the slanted cells are not provided with a filler, does not givel the shoe a dressy appearance. The sole constructed in accordance with my invention does not detract from the outward appearance of the shoe.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention, it isv thought, have been possibly suflciently set forth by the description as given. forms of sole whether the cells extend outwardly of the insole or of the outsole, provides a type of sole which is easily attached to the upper of a shoe because of the uniform surface presented lfor that purpose. The wearability of hte shoe is greater because the soles of either form will wear uniformly, there is better sustaining action for the foot and a uniform distribution of weight.

It is appreciated that the sole provided with the rib and cell construction will sustain most of the weight. Hence to gain the advantage `of a cellular type sole it is essential that the ribs and cells should not completely collapse, but be restored to normal form when weight or load is relieved therefrom. As the cellular sole sustains the weight and absorbs the wear, the -function of the iller material for the cells is to restore the ribs and cells to a However, actual use of bothV normal position when weight is -relieved therefrom. Thus the liller material may have less wear resistance and have more resilience than the cellular sole.

I claim:

1. As a new article ofmanufacture, a resilient shoe sole provided withy a series of spaced apart, transverse, upwardly and forwardly inclined ribs providingcells bektween. the ribsand a resilient filler portion having less density than the density ofthe sole, completely filling each cell and forming a smooth, unbrol e"'r1`V surface flush with one of the two surfaces ofthe sole,- and terminating short of the opposite surface of the sole.

2. The article as set forth in claim l, said cellsA terminating short ofthe ground gripping surface of theV sole and, opening outwardly to the opposite .surface thereof, and'V being surrounded by a continuous marginal flange of the sole, whereby the sole when attached to a shoe upper presents the appearance of an unrippled sole, -and the wear is taken by said `ground gripping surface.

3. As a new article of manufacture,V a resilient shoe l sole provided with transverse spacedapart ribs providing rounded bottomed cells therebetween, said ribs being at an acute angle to a surface of the sole and iiller material in each vcell for maintaining theV ribs against collapse when weight is imposed upon the sole, said filler material having greater resilience than that of the remaining sole material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSV France. Sept. 10, 

1. AS A NEW ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, A RESILIENT SHOE SOLE PROVIDED WITH A SERIES OF SPACED APART, TRANSVERSE, UPWARDLY AND FORWARDLY INCLINED RIBS PROVIDING CELLS BETWEEN THE RIBS AND A RESILIENT FILLER PORTION HAVING LESS DENSITY THAN THE DENSITY OF THE SOLE, COMPLETELY FILLING EACH CELL AND FORMING A SMOOTH, UNBROKEN SURFACE FLUSH WITH ONE OF THE TWO SURFACES OF THE SOLE, AND TERMINATING SHORT OF THE OPPOSITE SURFACE OF THE SOLE. 